The organisers of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival have announced the line-up of African films that will be screened during the eleven-day international film review event.
The Toronto Film Festival is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting more than 480,000 people annually.
Six African films have been selected for screening:
Orah (Nigeria)
Umbrella Men II: Escape from Robben Island (South Africa)
I Do Not Come to You by Chance (Nigeria)
Death of a Whistleblower (South Africa)
Banel and Adama (Senegal)
Sira (Burkina Faso)
The movies will be screened in the newly introduced Centrepiece programme, which, according to the organisers, will feature 47 titles from filmmakers representing 45 countries.
‘’The programme, previously known as Contemporary World Cinema (CWC), honours and celebrates global cinematic achievements, inviting audiences to immerse themselves in a dynamic array of contemporary films,’’ the film festival said in a statement.
The films will be screened alongside some notable Hollywood films, such as Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery featuring Daniel Craig and The Fabelmans by award-winning Hollywood director Steven Spielberg.
Nigerian filmmaker Lonzo Nzekwe gleefully announced on social media that his movie Orah had made the cut and will be screened alongside these international blockbusters. Lonzo Nzekwe, who is based in Toronto, Canada, creates transnational Nigerian content.
His movie debut, Anchor Baby, became the first Nollywood film available on iTunes in 2010. “Breaking News! Our film 'Orah' has been selected to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF 2023) in the Industry Selects programme.
“Congratulations to our cast and crew in Canada and Nigeria! You all are amazing,” an ecstatic Lonzo wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Umbrella Men II: Escape from Robben Island by South African-born filmmaker John Barker is a sequel to John Barker's 2022 crime comedy, The Umbrella Men.
Nigerian film director Ishaya Bako’s I Do Not Come to You by Chance is an adaptation of Nigerian writer Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani‘s award-winning debut novel of the same name, which describes the struggles of a Nigerian graduate.
I Do Not Come to You by Chance is Ishaya Bello’s second film to be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival after The Royal Hibiscus Hotel in 2017. It is also his second collaboration with the iconic actress, Genevieve Nnaji.
Death of a Whistleblower by South African director Ian Gabriel, Banel & Adama by Senegalese screenwriter Ramata-Toulaye Sy, and Sira by Burkina Faso’s Apolline Traore are the others to enjoy the glowing spotlight in the film festival.
Screening at the festival is a strategic move for filmmakers who wish to tease their projects in front of a diverse global audience.
The event provides market screenings and presentations before key film decision-makers, including celebrated Hollywood actors and producers.
The 48th edition of TIFF is scheduled to take place from September 7 to 17 at high-profile movie theatres within Toronto.
